Shotgun Myths

Editor’s Note: We may have taken a break from our series on defensive shotguns, but it’s far from being over. Today, I’m proud to be able to share the following contribution from Darryl Bolke; a true expert in the field of fighting shotguns. Darryl is a fantasticshooting instructor with a wealth of knowledge and experience that is matched by very few in our industry today. Whatever your background with shotguns has been, you can probably learn a thing or two from Darryl’s take on a few popular shotgun myths.
-CB

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One of the defensive firearms that has been a source of a massive amount of myth and misconception is the 12 gauge shotgun. Having used the 12 gauge as my primary long gun for high-risk work as a police officer for almost two decades, I would like to try to shed some light on reality versus myth.

First, I am not just “a cop who used a shotgun”. Those folks are often some of the worse perpetrators of fiction. I used a shotgun many, many times. I used them when most of my co-workers would not. If I had an inkling of high risk, a Remington 870 went with me. This was usually tight interior building work, searches for felons with K9’s, and high-risk vehicle stops. I have used a shotgun with exceptional results in a couple of actual shootings along with the deployments. I also wrote the policy and the program to put true fighting shotguns in every police unit. I hold instructor and user certifications from many different training organizations and trained with some of the most prolific shotgun instructors in the country. They really are “my thing”, and I would put my experience level up against anyone on actual usage. With that out of the way, let’s delve into the first of several articles that are part of our series on the fighting shotgun.

Myth 1: “You don’t have to aim a shotgun”

The author’s personal Remington 870 has iron sights and an Aimpoint red dot sight… because aiming is important.

This is a big one, maybe the biggest. Just pull the trigger and a cone of death appears, right? TV and movies have only perpetuated this myth. Here is the truth. Most guns with good buckshot will have a shot pattern of about 1 inch per yard. Some specialty loads or barrel treatments will hold it tighter. That leaves a lot of room to miss in close quarters and a lot of room to lose most of the effectiveness at distance. Keep in mind that buckshot is pretty much a .33 caliber sphere that makes a single round hole. When those pellets are tightly compressed in indoor room distances, they create devastating wounds that will overwhelm the system by causing numerous wound channels very close together simultaneously. If they make a single “rat hole” in very close quarters, they are hard to recover from by letting a lot of air in and fluid out rapidly. Once we get past about 15 yards with normal loads and 25 yards in the specialty loads, we get single pellets making a single hole in a few places that are not very efficient at stopping people. We also start getting to the point where we are losing many of the pellets off the target, and they will all hit something. So the truth is, you need to aim the gun, and it is most effective at about 15 yards or closer with buckshot loads.

With slugs, we get a single projectile that is highly penetrative (they work well against vehicles and felons behind cover). The slug gives us distance extension, but because of their penetrative nature we very much have to be aware of backstop and ensure we hit our targets. Again, aiming is critical, and in the next article, I will address sighting systems for the shotgun that can help with aim. It is absolutely critical that anyone using a shotgun for defensive needs take the gun to the range with actual defense loads you will be using and pattern the shotgun. Know for sure what your shot spread is and how accurate you are capable of with both slugs and buckshot. Training with birdshot is fine, but you have to also do the work with buckshot and slugs if that is what will be in the gun you are depending on in a crisis.

Myth 2: “Anyone can use a shotgun”

Another huge myth is that shotguns are great for non-dedicated shooters — a horrific assertion that often goes with the “don’t need to aim” myth. The 12 gauge shotgun has heavy recoil, ammunition that’s difficult to manage, limited capacity, and is long and difficult to maneuver in close quarters without very specific handling skills that take training and dedication. Management of the shotgun requires very aggressive handling of the gun when using it to both operate the action and to handle the recoil. Pistol grip only shotguns are by far the worst of the bunch, and the only real practical use for them is breaching, and some specialized units have used them for covert carry. If those tasks are not part of your mission, don’t buy them. These are not the guns to give to the elderly, frail, inexperienced, or novice shooters. Yet, the 12 gauge shotgun and the equally difficult to master airweight snub revolver seem to be favorites to sell or give to the exact people who should not be using them.

“In my first shooting, the two carjackers I was up against both told investigators individually in interviews that they heard me rack my Remington 870 as I exited my car. The effect it had was exactly nothing.”

One of my personal favorites is “you just need to rack the shotgun and criminals will run”. This is utter nonsense. In my first shooting, the two carjackers I was up against both told investigators individually in interviews that they heard me rack my Remington 870 as I exited my car. The effect it had was exactly nothing. They did not surrender or change their actions at all, other than to prepare for a fight.

Truly dangerous predatory criminals are not like you and me. Having guns pointed at them is not new or unique and they do not scare easily. Are there crooks that will run if they hear a shotgun being racked? Sure, but those are the same folks that will run if a light goes on or they are spoken to harshly. So, the racking of a shotgun will simply let a criminal know you are arming yourself for a fight–period. You are now at the mercy of their fight or flight decision. If they flee, great. If they choose to fight, the question now shifts to how well you have prepared for that fight. If your preparation is depending on them running because of a noise, you are in deep trouble. If you have invested in proper selection of your defensive tools and solid professional training, you will be in much better shape.

Myth 3: “Just fire a round in the air” 

This is simple. Do not listen to Joe Biden. He is an idiot with zero understanding of criminal and civil law. You are responsible for everything that leaves the gun. Subjecting the community to falling projectiles fired from a gun without justification is a felony in many places and the “Biden Defense” will likely not work.

Myth 4: “Shotguns are too big to use inside”

The myth that the shotgun is too big to work indoors is one that does have a bit of truth. Unfortunately, the typical solution is wrong. This myth is what is often used to sell people on pistol-gripped shotguns with no shoulder stocks. Again, these make matters worse, not better. The truth is that shotguns are difficult to run in close quarters. It is why I was a rarity in my agency for using them a lot indoors. They can be run very efficiently indoors, but you have to train, practice, and have a deep understanding of how to move and function with a long gun in tight confines.

This comes down to dedication of learning. If you decide to try to clear your home (or someone else’s, for the LE/Military folks), you need to devote time and training to figure this out. For most home owners using a shotgun for home defense with minimal training, the best role is to use them in a bunker defense role of holing up in a bedroom or secure area while waiting for authorities.

The author during a class demonstrating a “short sticking” technique for running the shotgun in close quarters.

Myth 5: “Shotguns are the ultimate in reliability!”

The last thing I want to address is reliability. Many think these guns are utterly reliable. They are not. Pump guns can be easily short-stroked under stress. The semi-autos often depend on ammunition and proper maintenance to function well. Most of the shotguns we have for defensive use are sporting guns altered into a role to use for fighting. Sporting guns are not like military guns. They are not easy to clear if malfunctions occur, and when they have parts failure they usually require a trip to a gunsmith to fix. Make sure you invest in good equipment and do not cut corners.

“These guns are often the primary defense of your castle that protects your most precious things. Your family, pets, and your assets are at stake. Do not put these at risk by skimping on getting proper instruction.”

Do not hang tons of accessories off of these guns. They need a light, sling, and sights as a priority, and on-board ammunition capacity as a bonus and that is about it. Use a quality gun and proven accessories, and you will be good on the hardware side. On the software side, training is critical. Seek solid advice and at least one good professional training course at a minimum. These guns are often the primary defense of your castle that protects your most precious things. Your family, pets, and your assets are at stake. Do not put these at risk by skimping on getting proper instruction. Watching movies with lots of shotgun use is not instruction (although I highly recommend Way of the Gun if you want to get some ideas). Invest in training and practice ammunition instead of gadgets and myths. Do some homework and do not depend on the advice of people who often have no idea of what they are talking about.  They are usually the ones who elevate myths and TV fantasy to perceived reality status.

More from Lucky Gunne

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

Wishing everyone a Safe and Happy Memorial Day. Please don't forget what we are suppose to be celebrating!  God bless all of those who are presently serving and those that have served, especially the fallen and our seriously wounded  veterans!    Thank You for Your Service!

Skill Set: Revolver

This something that I cover at everyone of my SAFETY & BASIC SKILL CLASSES.  It was present hear by Tiger Mckee in such a professional manner, that I thought it was worth posting!

Remember the 3 P's! Preparation, Practice, = PERFORMANCE!

Skill Set: Revolver-Load & Unload

Revolver in left hand, with two middle fingers and thumb on left hand holding cylinder.

In the last talk about revolvers I mentioned there are several different ways to perform one task. For example you can shift the revolver over to the left hand, for a right-handed shooter, to load and unload, or you can keep it in the right hand. For left hand shooters things can work several ways as well. This week we're going to look at loading/unloading.

The first technique is for holding the revolver in the left hand, and probably the one most people are familiar with. Initially you're holding it in the right hand. The left hand moves underneath the revolver to the right side, with the middle two fingers and thumb forming an "O" around the cylinder. Use the thumb of the right hand to press the cylinder latch, and as it flips to the left the two middle fingers go through the gate, so you end up holding the revolver with those two fingers and the thumb around the cylinder.

To load, point the muzzle down and feed the rounds with the right hand. The thumb and middle fingers that are holding the cylinder can be used to rotate it if necessary to load the rounds. (I use the indentions between chambers on the cylinder to count, feeling them as it's rotated.) Once the cylinder is loaded the right hand reacquires its grip, the left hand shifts back to the left side of the revolver and locks the cylinder in using the heel of the hand. Be sure to use enough force to ensure the cylinder locks into place, otherwise you won't be able to press the trigger.

For unloading use the same technique to open the cylinder. Point the muzzle up. With the revolver in the left hand use the heel of the right hand to forcefully smack the ejector, three times, to unload or empty the brass. Let the rounds or brass fall to the ground, just like you would during a fight. If you're in the house and you don't want to damage your expensive defense rounds let them fall onto the bed or couch. Then it's muzzle down to feed the cylinder.

Revolver held in right hand to load/unload. Notice trigger finger holding cylinder and right thumb on right side of gun.

Or, you can do all this with the right hand holding the revolver. To open up the cylinder you bring the trigger finger up to the cylinder and the thumb to over the grip to the right side of the revolver. You have to get the right thumb on out of the way to be able to feed rounds. The left thumb presses the latch and the trigger finger pushes the cylinder to the left, follows it through the gate and applies pressure, keeping it from spinning freely or flopping back into a closed position. Muzzle down. The left hand loads rounds, rotating the cylinder if necessary, and then closes the cylinder, locking it in place.

Unloading follows the same procedure. Once the cylinder is open the muzzle goes up, and the heel of the left hand punches the ejector. I use the barrel as a guide, positioning it between thumb and first finger in the web then sliding the hand down to hit the ejector. After it's empty point the muzzle down to feed it.

How do you determine which technique works best for you? It takes experimenting and practice. For example with a small frame it's pretty easy to keep the revolver in the right hand. For someone with smaller hands, and/or larger frame gun, it may be better to shift the revolver over to the support hand, which gives you a little more control of the gun. One hand may work better for feeding rounds than the other, which could dictate which hand needs to hold the revolver. Ultimately your decision should be based on what works best for you. Also, keep in mind that time isn't the only deciding factor. One technique may be a little bit quicker, but sometimes you end up fumbling or dropping rounds. For defensive use choose the technique that's always effective as opposed to basing your decision on what's the quickest. Time is definitely a factor, but being efficient, getting predictable results from your actions, is more important.

As always the best way to practice and develop your skills is with dry practice. Use dummy ammo to experiment, determining what technique works best. There's no reason to be wasting ammo trying to figure out what works good. Then, once you're performing these skills well, go to the range for live fire practice.

On the next installment of revolver skills we'll look at carrying spare ammo. And, as usual with revolvers, there's a variety of ways to do this.

Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama. 

Slow Down

This article by Tiger McKee really emphasises what I said in my last Post.  Thanks Tiger!

Skill Set: Slow Down

The most common issue we encounter in every class is speed. And I'm not talking about the good kind. Everyone wants to go fast. Constantly, during the entire class, we have to remind students to slow down. It sounds wrong, but during training, practice and even in a fight "fast" is usually a bad thing.

Training – regardless of the level - introduces new skills, techniques and fighting principles. You discover how to use firearms properly, safely and in defense of life. You're modifying or fine tuning existing skills. You're not going to actually learn the material in a two or three day class. Learning requires practice. Training shouldn't be about speed. Get it right while the instructor is watching so you know what and how to practice. Training - new material - needs to be taken slowly, literally one step at a time.

After training comes practice, performing the repetitions necessary to actually learn a skill or set of actions. In other words, practice until you don't have to think about it. The conscious mind says, "reload." The subconscious takes over, performing the reload. To embed a skill into the subconscious literally takes thousands of "good" repetitions. "Bad" reps don't count, and the experts say that every bad rep takes dozens of good ones to erase the bad. The only way to ensure you're "gettin' gooder" is to slow down. Don't think about speed; concentrate on technique.

Good technique reduces or eliminates mistakes. You're acting efficiently. Yes, we're preparing to fight, but in a fight every action must be clean, with no wasted motion or unnecessary actions. You can go really fast, adding unnecessary movements and making a lot of mistakes, but this isn't helping you learn, and it definitely isn't preparing you to fight. A little thing - not getting the magazine positioned properly in your hand - creates a big problem - dropping the only mag you have on the ground while moving to cover. Slow practice creates efficiency.

Practicing slowly teaches you how to react to mistakes. Yes, we just talked about not making mistakes, but the fact is they happen, especially under stress. When a mistake occurs you correct, compensate and continue. Go too fast, make a mistake and you step into a default mode. You stop thinking and start reacting, reverting to "natural" instincts. The problem is most skills we use to fight with firearms are not natural. By working at a moderate pace you are able to identify mistakes sooner and immediately apply corrective actions.

In "No Second Place Winner," Bill Jordan records advice he received from Texas Ranger Captain John Hughes: "If you get into a gunfight don't let yourself feel rushed. Take your time, fast." The only thing you can control in a fight is you. Jordan adds that while this isn't easy advice to follow, everything you need to know about gun fighting is summed up Hughes' words. "When you really understand their full meaning," Jordan adds, "you have come of age." (Pg 107)

During training, slow down. When you practice, slow down and focus on technique and efficiency. In a fight, trust your skills and apply them at the proper speed. Victory will follow.

Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama. 

FIRE AWAY!

Before we get started it is important to state that the following information applies to individuals who have taken a lesson or two from a qualified experience instructor.  If you haven't, than that should be your first step and this post is not for you!

As a firearm trainer/instructor I am often asked by my students this question, "How and what do I need to do to become a better and more advanced shooter?"  The question should be More Efficient and Effective shooter!  My answer is always the same, PRACTICE!  Now let me explain what I mean by PRACTICE.  Practice does not make perfect.  Practice makes habit.  Only perfect practice makes perfect!  In essence what I am talking about is this, just doing something over and over does not perfect the skill that you are trying to develop.  If you are not doing it the right way you are perfecting training scares that will become very difficult to correct.  When you are trying to perfect a skill you need to practice it over and over, doing it the correct way so as to eventually make it what is called a, unconsciously competent movement.  This only happens by doing an enormous amount of repetitions.  By doing these repetitions you are conditioning your mind and body to function as one unit.  I call this a marriage between you physiological and your neurological systems.  You probably have heard it called or referred to as muscle memory.  It is not just enough to do and practice the skill that you are trying to develop you must also have an understanding of why it needs to be done that way.  Understanding the Nuts and Bolts and how and why they apply to the skill.  You see being proficient with a firearm is 90% mental and 10% physical.  Ok, I could go on with this conversations for a few more hours, but I won't!  The purpose for this post is about practicing, Dry Fire Practice and the benefits of it!  I just needed to lay down some facts first.  Remember the key is to do it slow and deliberate (ROBTICLY SLOW) so as to make sure that you are going through each step and not missing anything that applies to the skill or technique, ie, a b c & d not a b & d .  Once the skill/technique has properly been programed into your subconscious you should start increasing the time that it takes to do it.  A shot timer is a very effective tool to help you increase your efficiency  during your D F Practice.  

As most of you know the shooting sports have really gotten expensive.  Ammunition prices are high and have really skyrocketed and so has shooting club memberships and range fees.  One of the ranges that I shoot at has doubled their membership price.  Hum, may not be shooting there any longer! These cost factors have contributed to most people not being able to afford to practice and when they do practice shortens and limits the amount of time they can spend on live fire drills .  Unless you reload your own ammunition, and that has gotten more expensive also, or you have deep pockets, you know what I am talking about.  So how do you maintain and keep you skill level constant so that you don't start to lose it and more importantly your confidences in being able to efficiently and accurately hit your target. Because, after all isn't that the reason you are practicing!

So, let's get started.  First make sure that you have a good understanding of the "Four Cardinal Rules" of firearm safety and that you follow them to the tee.   Second, make sure that there is absolutely NO LIVE AMMUNITION in the room or area that you are conducting the Dry Fire Practice.  Three, make sure that you have cleared the firearm and that you have checked it at least two times, checking the chamber and the magazine well.  Fourth, make sure that the area, (TARGET) that you are aiming at can sustain and capture the bullet should you have a brain fart and get a BANG when you should have gotten a CLICK.  Fifth, if you can not devote 100% of your attention to this 15 minute practice session than hold off until you can.  If for any reason you are interrupted during your practice sessions end it immediately and resume it at another time.   

The three most important objectives and this applies to new and inexperienced shooters as well as to experienced shooters are, Grip, Sight Alignment/Sight Picture and the most important aspect proper Trigger manipulation.  The purpose of Dry Fire practice is to supplement your live fire practice.  With Dry fire practice you can focus on exactly what you will need to do when firing a live firearm.  But, you will not have that conscience concern of the gun going BANG!  That conscience concern is what causes you to anticipate.  Which is a big problem in being able to hit your target accurately.

What you are trying to achieve is Consistency through Repetitions so that you become more Efficient which will make your actions more Effective.  Remember your final goal is to hit what you are shooting at. 

If you are a Glock or a S&W, M&P shooter I would suggest that you look at and invest in one of the Next Level Training SIRT PISTOL (Shot Indicating Re-setting Trigger).  They are a little expensive but you will benefit from the investment.  The biggest advantage with these types of training tools is that you know that when you are conducting your DRY FIRE exercises that there is no possible way you are going to have a ND. 

                                                              

More to follow on this topic in the next post.

Around the Water Cooler: Relative Safety

Good Article, by Rick Grassi, (Tactical Wire)






In response to a piece written here, I was asked about the propriety of buying, carrying, issuing any pistol that requires a pull of the trigger for disassembly. I responded that it was beyond the scope of our operation; I don't care what you buy, carry, issue. The requirement to use a bit of sense when doing so is primary regardless if it's that type of gun or "the safest gun on Earth." This presumes that a machine can be safe. The answer is a bit complicated and goes beyond concepts of faith or some presumption that safety in humans is possible.

We're aware that people make mistakes and sometimes those mistakes have grave consequences. I've made mistakes. If you haven't, there's a good chance you simply haven't lived long enough. If you live a lifetime as long as mine or longer and you don't fall prey to errors in judgment and gunhandling, we'll run your name up to the Vatican in nomination.

I'm not in the running.

There's a story about a Russian member of service (described variously as an NCO and an officer), doing a show-and-tell of Combloc military weapons back in the day. When a Western (some say U.S.) member of service questioned the safety of a particular Soviet practice, the Russian is said to have answered, "Is gun, is NOT safe!"

Whether or not that happened, it reinforces the concept – the gun has to be predictable. If you press the trigger you should expect the hammer/striker to fly forward and, if a cartridge is present, to fire. If it doesn't act predictably in that reasonable, logical way, its utility is suspect.

Ruger makes fine guns. I'm a fan of the company and like every member of the organization that I've met. The SR9, likewise, is a good pistol. It's got enough safety features to make one wonder the purpose of the gun – to be "safe" (non-firing) or to save your life in a fight. The manual safety is fine, the mudflap chamber-loaded indicator is okay, the magazine disconnector less so. Forget the inanity of all gadgets and gizmos. Remember Rule 1: All Guns Are Loaded.

If you act in accordance with Rule 1, those "safety" features are superfluous. The magazine disconnector may or may not be functional and you must visually and physically check the piece. Relying on the magazine disconnector is unwise. Also the mudflap up top is not to be trusted. If it's up, there could potentially -- however unlikely -- be a reason other than a cartridge. If it's not up, I'm still cracking the slide open to affirmatively check. That California bureaucrats liked the "loaded chamber indicator fails to bring cheer – I trust them less than mechanical devices.

You see, like I know people are prone to mistakes I know that mechanical and electronic devices will at some time fail. The more numerous and complicated, the greater the chance of failure.

Guns aren't cars. Decockers, heavy triggers, magazine disconnectors aren't anti-lock braking systems. Even if they were, you still need to know how to brake on slick roads if there is no ABS. Maybe the "99% who shoot and disassemble once per year" need to get a bit of refresher before shooting and disassembling – if they're cops and they shoot only once a year, that's a management issue that will likely lead to tragedy operationally and otherwise – as well as setting the stage for civil liability.

I can't tell agencies not to buy Glocks – and I wouldn't tell them if they'd listen. Likewise, I'll tell agencies that a pattern of failure to train, manage and supervise is fraught with peril. They likely won't listen to that either.

Don't point guns at yourself or others. Lock the slide to the rear, check by sight & feel. Remember "SOS" – remove the SOURCE of ammunition - the magazine. Remove it from the gun and put it aside - in a pocket, on the table, anywhere but in your hands. Next, lock the slide OPEN. Take that opportunity to check the chamber visually and physically. Lower the slide and ensure that the muzzle is in a SAFE direction - a safe direction is one in which an unintended discharge will result in no physical injury and only minor property damage. Once that's completed, it's okay to press the trigger.

If you have or are issued a handgun that requires the slide to be locked open over an empty magazine well to take the gun apart, all the better. If you don't, you can still realize it's a time of some peril – follow the rules you should have been following every time you handled that gun.

-- Rich Grassi 

Good Explanation of the Tueller Principal

THE “21 FOOT RULE”

POSTED ON 03/21/2016 BY JERRY JONES

I try not to allow sarcasm into my writings.  I will try not to today, but can make no promises.  Sometimes, you read things that are just so dumb, the sarcasm writes itself.

Recently, I have read some writings from police administrators, police trainers, and musings in the media in reference to the “21 Foot Rule”.  To put everyone in the readership on a level playing field in our readership, this “21 Foot Rule” is what most of us also know as the Tueller Drill.  In the early 1980’s, Sgt Dennis Tueller conducted studies involving how quickly a subject armed with a knife could cover a given distance, before an officer could react, draw and fire effectively at the knife wielding attacker.

Now, I have been exposed to this drill for most of my career.  The crux of what I carried from it was an attacker can cover that 21 foot pretty quickly, so when dealing with non-compliant suspects, it is wise to have the gun in your hand, and a plan in your head.

Apparently, according to reading some of these “writings”, the “21 foot rule” now has been expanded to shooting everyone with a knife within 21 feet.  At least that is the media portrayal of it at this point.  Many of the writings I have seen by people that I would figure that should know better is that the “21 foot rule” is somehow a magical justification to shoot anyone armed with a knife within that distance.  Strangely, that was never how it was taught to me, and certainly never how I have taught it.

The “21 foot rule” teaches us in my opinion the dangers of edged weapons at closer distances.  It teaches us to that the quickest draw in that situation is to have the gun already in your hand.  But, at least in my exposure to the drill, it has never taught us that you should shoot anyone and everyone that you come into contact with that is armed with an edged weapon at 21 feet or less.  With most police officers skill level, the distance is most likely around 30 feet before it becomes an even playing field.